Shahrazad, dancer of the night
Behind the purple lattice of Persian screens
You dance to the rhythm of ancient music
Swirling in the mirth of frankincense
Spinning into the night.
I drink from the silver chalice of your smile
Seeing crescent moons reflected in your eyes,
The echoes of singing voices radiate the vision of desert nights
As I feel my passion flowing
A river of silver and gold melting into distant plateaus.
Desert enchantress,
Spinning your dance eternal in the lapis depths of evening's promise
I surrender now to your smile
Let me drown in the music of your dark eyes
Your seductive voice,
Leading me to misty moonscapes and ruined castle walls.
Shahrazad,
Swaying to the syncopating rhythms of drums and bells
Beneath a Persian moon
Drawing me to the magic of your spell.
This poem was inspired by a Persian music video I saw some years ago. I was invited to read this poem at a crowded Middle Eastern restaurant on Hollywood Boulevard. There was also a performance by a well-known local belly dancer that night.